Process of treating fruit



May 26, 1925.

l. S. GOLDMAN PROCESS OF TREATING FRUIT Filed July 21 1923 Q @WQ \N QQQ QQ Q 3k Q 00% Q d if NQQ @Q Q fi Em g QQ y b B Q a Q as q Q Vs f? m: l I F .Tu ll 4 INVENTOR 8. G0 ldmamr ATTORNEY Patented May 26, 1925.

STATES IRVIN s. GOLDMAN, or MERCED, oamro'nn'm.

PROCESS OF TREATING FRUIT.

Application filed July 21, 1923, Serial No. 652,980.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, IRVIN S. GOLDMAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Merced, county of Merced, State of California, have invented a new and useful Process of Treating Fruit, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to a process of tendering figs and for rendering the skins thereof transparent. p

The important object of my invention is to provide a process of this character for initially transforming the natural hard skin of the fig into a se1ni-plastic state and secondly, introducing the fig to the action of means whereby the fibres of the skin are broken down and the skin made transparent and so pliable and plastic as to relieve same of its natural toughness, and for converting the fig into a more satisfactory and edible product than has been true of the fig heretoore.

A further object of my invention is to provide a process of this characterfor treating the fig in such manner as to avoid losing the natural good qualities and beneficial properties thereof while satisfactorily eliminating the bad qualities due to the "aforementioned hard, tough condition of the skin.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of this character in which figs may be commercially handled and treat ed as aforementioned with maximum dispatch. 4

A still further object of the invention is to provide a process which' will eliminate over saturation of the figs with moisture so as to prevent souring or fermentation of the figs when packed for the market.

My invention therefore comprises certain novel steps of a process hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claims annexed hereto.

In the accompanying drawings in which I have'shown my invention in a concrete form, the figure is a vertical section through the pre-heating container and the mating retort. v

In carrying my invention into practiceflI make use of a container (5) adapted to hold a body of water (6) and asi1lustrated, said contalner is connected with a steam pipe (7) by means of which hot steam can beintroduced to thecontainer to serve as a heating agent for the water therein. Hot steam is permitted to enter the container (5) so that the water bath may be made to maintam a -fixed temperature, approximately from 200 to 212,F.

' Movably mounted in said container (5) 1s a wire basket (8) adapted to hold a batch of figs so that they may be freely subjected to the action of hot water when the basket occupies the position shown in the draw-l mgs.

(9) indicates a retort, the same consisting of a container (10) having an annulali flange (11) formed with a channel (12) to accommodate an annular gasket. The container is closed by a removable cover (13) whose flange (14:) is adapted to seat against the gasket in the channel (12). from the cover (13) are brackets (15) carryng pivoted screws (16) or equivalent clamplng devices. These screws co-act with slots (1 in the flange (11) and as shown, these screws. are provided with clamping nuts (18) which engage under the flange (11) so as to force the flange (14:) of said cover (13) downward into sealed engagement with the aforementioned gasket in the channel (12). When this is accomplished, the container is sealed against the escape of steam therefrom or the entrance of atmospheric air thereto. a

Leading from the .cover (13) is a pressure valve (19) which is employed to automatically relieve the retort of excess pressure. Leading to the container (10), preferably from a point near the bottom thereof is a steam pipe (20) adapted' to be connected in any suitab e well known manner with a source of steam sup 1y, not shown.

This pipe is suitably. equip d with a manually controlled valve (21 that can be opened to permit steam to enter theretort.

In carrying the process into efi'ect I first place abatch of fi .in their natural state in the wire basket 8). This basket is then placed in the container (5) so. thatthe fi are immersed in the hot water (6). L 0 not permit the figs to remain in the Water longer than is sufiicient to cause, the skins thereof to be partly impregnated with hot water. 7 In other words, the figs. areintroduced to the penetrating action of hot water for such interval as. is necessary to'render the skins semi-pliable This. cleanses the figs and at the same tim renders same sus- Extending ceptible to a quick action of the second step of the process which will immediately be explained herein. r

I next transfer the basket (8) to the retort (9) and firmly seal the cover (13) of the retort against the gasket in the-channel (12). Immediately following this step the valve (21) is opened so as to introduce live steam to the retort to freely circulate around I the figs. In practice I find that very desirable results are obtained by admitting live steam to the retort until a pressure equal to 10 pounds is had and I then cause the figs to be subjected to the action of steam under this pressure for an interval equal approximately to five minutes. In that the figs were pre-moistened and preheated incident to their introduction to a hot bath (6) they are very susceptible to the action of steam ,under pressure when the figs are transferred to the retort (9). I find that the steam underpressure is made to, penetrate the hard natural skins of the I figs and the skins are accordingly responsive to the action of 'steam under pressure so that the fibre of the skins is broken down or weakened. By securing the proper amount of pressure to which the figs are subjected I am able to cause proper impregnation of the figs, without possibility of dis integration thereof.

The results following from the process are such that figs under treatment can be handled with dispatch; that the skins, aside from being converted from a tough unedible state into. an exceedingly tender digestible state, become transparent and when packed for first class market trade are far more attractive and presentable than is true of the fig in its natural state, and that the fig is converted into a better edible product without destroying the natural good qualities thereof.

for breaking As previously stated the valve (19) is provided for safety purposes. Incidentally it is set so that it is responsive to pressure in excess of 10 pounds, the latter described herein as a' desirable pressure to which the figs can be very satisfactorily subjected.

I claim:

1.' The herein described process for tendering figs and for rendering the skins thereof transparent which consists in preheating a batch of figs by immersing same in a hot bath of water at a temperature approximately from 200 to212 F. and then conveying the figs to a closed chamber While circulating steam in the chamber until pressure not in excess of ten pounds is obtained and causing the steam under such pressure to circulate through the pores of the skins of the figs to break down the natural texture thereof and render same plastic and transparent.

2. vThe herein described method of treating figs so as to render the natural tough skins thereof lastic and transparent and ownthe fibres of the skins which consists in first immersing the figs in to a heated bath, removing the fruit from said bath and immediately transferring same while hotand pliable to a sealed container and then introducing steam under pressure to said. container and for causing circulation of the steam through said chamber for a predetermined interval.

3; The herein described method of tendering the skins of figs which consists in first moistening the figs and then placing same in a sealed space containing steam under a fixed pressure and for causing the figs to remain subjected to the action of the steam for a fixed interval while sealed from the atmosphere.

IRVIN S. GOLDMAN. 

